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Sunday, July 10, 2016

A little bit more teaching

I am off to spend a day with Year 11 students at a local school this week - talking about and making artists' books.

I think will be fascinating to see where their ideas lead them, and am really looking forward to it.

In preparation I have been getting some pages ready and thinking about techniques and options and things for them to try and do and to use.

I decided to try and make a book using scraps from around the studio, rather than prepare proper pages from scratch. Interesting and fun.

Because of my"Under Construction" books and wall works from last year , I have lots of scraps with nests and feathers and so there wasn't really any competition to work out what I would base this wee book on...

I will be stitching it and doing the cover on the day, so here are some of the pages and elements...


Inside, looking at full width, stitched pockets with inserts, and attaching other artworks. Sealing things inside tracing paper, making it hard to fully discern what they are; and impossible to retrieve them.


Another opening and the left hand side folds out further, whilst the right hand side has a peep hole through to the next page.



Love the peep hole!


All the pages are from different paper, yet that doesn't seem to interrupt the flow.
 Another pocket - but this time attached with tape rather than folded.


And more cut outs and de-bossing. Oh and another fold out peep hole!



I framed the peep hole on the back and attached more scraps to the folded up pocket.



Which I filled to the brim with threads, and more threads...



And on the back, another bit of tracing paper to lift and discover the fullness of the word.


I will be talking about Content, Materials, Structure and and Sequence.

We decided to make a simple pamphlet stitch book - which is nice and easy, and easy to remember how to do again; but it does force you to spend time working out the sequence and how each page will play, given they are stacked within each other and the right hand side of the decorated or folded page can be a long way from the left hand side of the decorated or folded page.

Introducing cutouts also encourages you to think about what lies beyond; and a book like this always needs something on both sides of the page, so again, a bit of planning is needed.

I'm looking forward to it and hope to be able to share some results!

10 comments:

  1. wow, it's beautiful and I like the peepholes too !!!

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  2. fiona, this is a lovely way to teach so many concepts in book composition. well done.

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    1. Thank V - we shall see if it works! I think they will get some ideas and inspiration which is good. Go well.

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  3. Do wish I was in that class. I find this book fascinating, just wish I could actually see it, I'm afraid I need to see,feel, handle to really get an idea of the construction. Thank you for showing it.

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    1. Hi Penny, when I have finished stitching it in class you will have a better idea of how the book actually holds together...but I know what you mean about seeing and holding!

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  4. wow! so inspiring & they will all be able to take their very own book home that day

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    1. I hoe they get the feel for it form this book Mo - I will be comparing it to a simple father journal and see how the artists' book tells a different story etc etc. Fingers crossed!

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  5. They couldn't have a better teacher! Loving all the ins and outs of this book and itching to get some decent paper out of the plan chest and make one just like it.I particularly love the idea of framing that peephole with the text piece. I am going to 'steal' that idea from you when I make my version. Is that ok with you Fiona?

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    1. We shall see Lesley we shall see! It is quite a fun book to move thru and of course the framing of a peephole is available for 'stealing' - go for broke I say! It was good just to sit and work with stuff I had nearby Go well.- just like you sit and make something with what is within arm's reach - a great challenge!

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.